


So, I've Outlasted an Empire

by typewrittencurlie



Series: A Love to Outlast Empires [3]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Arthur Knows About Merlin's Magic (Merlin), M/M, Modern Era, Pining Merlin (Merlin)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-17
Updated: 2020-03-07
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:20:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21834337
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/typewrittencurlie/pseuds/typewrittencurlie
Summary: 1558 years after Arthur's death, Merlin is still waiting at the Lake of Avalon.One morning, a strange young woman shows up at his door, calling him Gramps...We'll, he DID decide to go mad that morning, so what could be the harm in seeing this out?Might even bring Arthur back...
Relationships: Merlin & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Series: A Love to Outlast Empires [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1552381
Comments: 3
Kudos: 149





	1. Chapter 1

Merlin rolled out of his small, empty bed, trudging to the bathroom to begin his day. He washed his face in the sink, trimmed his short scruff on his face with magic, and gave up on his mop of slightly curly black hair. Really he needed to cut it short, but he quite liked the longer hairstyles of the 21st century.

Merlin stared at himself in the mirror, and declared, "Today, I will go mad." Nodding to his reflection, he walked back into his bedroom, and put on a clean tee, jeans, a leather jacket, and his plaid neckerchief. As he tugged on his vintage boots, he mused about how the styles of the modern world, at least the hipster men's styles, closely matched his wardrobe from the 6th century A. 1600's were the worst time for fashion. Merlin shuddered at the memories of hose and doublets.

Padding to the kitchen, Merlin began his daily ritual of making coffee. It was something he very much prided himself on, selecting high quality unroasted beans, and magically getting a small portion to the perfect level of darkness. Then it was simply grinding them and using the grounds in his slightly worn Chemex. It was probably the best coffee on this side of the country... If not the best coffee in the whole country.

With his mug in hand, Merlin walked out to the porch of his house, and sat in his worn oak chair, looking out over the lake. "Good morning, love, I miss you... As always," he murmured, not ever expecting an answer. This was another part of his morning routine, sitting and talking to his dead husband's grave.

"Merlin? Merlin Pendragon?" A female voice called from the gate, startling him into spilling his coffee.

"Name of the Mother..." He growled, as his eyes flashed gold, using magic to clean the spill on his jeans. He walked around his small house, to find the source of the intrusion. It was a young woman, early twenties, with mahogany and black hair, deep blue eyes, and tattoos covering her exposed arms.

The woman pushed her oversized spectacles up her nose, saying, "Wow... It really is you... Grams wasn't crazy after all."

"Who _are_ you?" Merlin asked, slightly uncomfortable by the way she was staring at him. It was almost like she'd found a bloody _unicorn_ in the middle of London. But there was something niggling at the back of his mind, almost as if he knew this strange girl. But that was impossible, seeing as the last one of his descendants was probably long dead by now. We'll, the last one to visit him, at any rate. Her eyes though... Something about her eyes. "Why, by the Maiden, do you look familiar?"

"My great grandma was Helena, your God daughter. And, I think great granddaughter... eighteen times removed? I don't know exactly, but I _do_ know that _we_ are related, Gramps." As she finished her preposterous take, she smiled brightly, and it hit Merlin like a ton of bricks.

Those eyes... They were Arthur's eyes. His lit up the exact same way when he gave his goofy grin. "Helena _Travers?_ She was descended from Alanar and Markus... You're saying you're reated to my son?"

"Yep," she said, popping her lips on the 'p'. "There's a study going on, with a bunch of us watered down Pendragons... Apparently we have some freaky shit in our mitochondria." She laughed unconcernedly. "They have no idea what they are looking for."

"Do you have my gifts?" Merlin asked, his knees shaking. He'd thought they'd all died out that he was really alone in the world. It was always a small comfort, knowing that there were people out there who knew how the King Arthur legends actually went down. Instead of the lies he'd given to have people honor Arthur's name. Marrying _Guinevere_ of all people. Really.

He knew that this girl could be lying to him about it all, so he telepathically asked her, - _Do you have my magic?-_

_-That's why I'm here. I'm struggling with this, without a real teacher, Gramps.-_ She replied, her expression pleading, as she asked, "Will you teach me?" She hesitantly stepped through the gate, and gave Merlin a small smile, "I also thought you might like someone coming over frequently, I have my Gran's house in the village, and I'll be here every morning... If you want that."

"I do... I haven't had a single person to break the silence I over fifty years. I think I need this." He hesitantly smiled, unsure if his face still could smile, it had been so long. "What is your name?"

"Kara Zane, Gramps."


	2. Chapter 2

Kara was a fast learner, and Merlin genuinely enjoyed her sparkling wit. It was very much a welcome change after decades of silence.

"So, Gramps..." She was plotting something, Merlin knew, just by her tone. He sighed, as they sat by the lake, practicing magic. It had been a long time since he'd taught anyone else to make a werelight out of thin air . He raised his eyebrows at his great granddaughter, asking without words, 'what?'

"How do you always have cash? Like, where does it all come from?" She sipped her iced tea, with an innocent smile. He distrusted whatever it was immediately.

"I sold a Camelot Lion -a gold coin- for roughly 20 million quid back in the sixties. I still have roughly a million left, and also about a hundred identical coins hidden under the floorboards of my house." He shrugged, indicating it was no big deal. "What are you planning, Kara?" He narrowed his eyes, as she grinned brightly and stood up.

"Oh, nothing, I just figured we could open up a café, downtown there's a store for sale, maybe make it Camelot-themed..." Kara glanced over her shoulder at Merlin's thoughtful expression.

It wasn't a bad idea. He knew his coffee was excellent, and Kara had this way with pastries... "Alright, let's do it. I need to get back into real life again. Stop wallowing in my grief."

"Perfect."

-:-

Merlin hung the sign to The Great Dragon Café, finishing the last few bolts. The large wooden dragon curled around the words almost seemed alive, as it swung from the iron bar affixed above the door. He had carved the replica of his old friend Kilgharrah himself, and painted the letters in an old script he had learned circa 794.

"Looking good, Gramps." Kara said, admiring the sign.

They had gone full-scale medieval on the inside, luckily this was a historic town, and the shop had been wonderfully preserved from the early 20th century, with cobblestone floors, and a long wooden counter dividing the first floor in two. Merlin had given the front of it a bit of his hometown, namely a long mural of Camelot, exactly as he had first seen it, all those centuries ago.

As Merlin stepped off the ladder, he noticed a young man coming down the street, odd for the time, it was seven in the morning. He carried a slip of paper, and had dressed nicely.

"Can I help you?" Merlin asked, dusting his hands on his jeans.

The stranger ran a hand through his deep brown hair nervously. "I'm Gabriel, I called about your barista position?"

Merlin remembered the voice, except he sounded slightly older over the phone. He accepted the resume, glancing over his excellent credentials. It slightly bothered Merlin how over-qualified he was for this simple barista position. He'd gone to Oxford for christsakes!

"I really need this job, sir. I can work any time of the day, all week, anything you need." Gabriel was practically begging for this simple position, even though he could work literally anywhere else.

"You went to Oxford, what was your major?" Merlin asked, having a sneaky suspicion it was accounting. That would be perfect, if he could finagle this correctly.

"I have a degree in public and business accounting, and I worked in the local cafe Cafe for extra funds while I got the degrees."

"Perfect. You're hired, but only part time as a barista, when for some reason one of us can't be there." Gabriel's face fell, and he started to protest, but Merlin held up his hand with a grin, he added, "Your full time job with our café is to be our business manager/ accountant. You're very over-qualified for a simple barista job, Gabe. Welcome to the family." Merlin grinned, shaking his hand, as his new employee stammered out how appreciative he was, etc. "I hope you don't mind if we're a bit... strange. I'm rather gay, and my friend here insists on calling me Gramps." Merlin laughed, as the three of them went inside. He caught Gabriel looking at Kara grinning.

Good, he wasn't mad after all. He could see her too. Thank the Goddess.

Kara went back to staining the last set of chairs a deep aged wood color, while Merlin finished hanging the last of his charcoal sketches. He heard the new guy walk up behind him, slightly to the side and look at the gallery wall of Merlin's friends and family. "Did you do these, sir?" He asked, Stopping at the one of Arthur and Merlin as they rode together during Caerleon's capture.

"Yeah. Just call me Merlin, though. The one you're looking at is me and my husband, it was a rather eventful day, that one." Merlin chuckled, touching the glass over Arthur's face. He looked so happy, just glad to be alive then.

"Gramps, don't go there." Kara warned. She crossed the floor, standing over him as he leaned against the wall.

"Name of the Mother, Maiden and Crone, I just want to d-" he was unable to finish the prayer, as Kara clapped her hand over his mouth, ignoring the tears pouring down his face. He did though. If he died, he could be with him again. Be with his husband.

"Don't you dare, Merlin Pendragon. If you say that prayer it will be answered, and then he'll never come back." Kara glared at him, until he nodded his assent.

"Thanks. I... 1,558 years without Arthur, and I still can't function." Merlin mumbled, wrapping his arms around himself. He stood then, and grabbed his coat and satchel, muttering, "I just need to be alone right now... Gabe, be here at 9:00 a.m. tommorow morning, I'll explain then, or you can ask Kara."

Merlin stumbled down the road, barely making it home safely. He couldn't go on without Arthur another day. It was too much. He made himself some coffee, and begged the Triple Goddess for help.

He couldn't go on any longer.


	3. Chapter 3

Merlin sat in his oak chair on the porch, idly watching the sunlight dance on the lake.

He prayed to the Goddess for clarity, so that he could once more see the path. He didn't know how to carry on with life anymore. Having Kara around only reminded him of Arthur. It was good, seeing him I her eyes, but it was secretly tearing him apart on the inside.

"I need you, Arthur..." he whispered to the gently rippling lake. "I honestly don't know how many more years I have in me to continue like this." He took another sip of his coffee, numb and dead inside. He couldn't feel anymore, just... empty, without Arthur. Lost without his soulmate, the other half of his fate. He became mildly interested in a stream of bubbles forming on the surface of the lake, and a golden ripple flowing outward from the disturbance. Almost as if...

The mug fell from Merlin's frozen fingers, slipping to crash on the wooden porch. Merlin stood, hastily shrugging off his leather jacket, and trainers. He bolted to the water, wading in with a gasp. The water was freezing, chilling him to the bone, while he forged ahead, towards the rapidly slowing stream of air coming from what he assumed was Arthur.

"Hold on, Arthur!" He cried, taking a deep breath and diving under the water. He saw his husband, unconscious and sinking towards the lake's bottom. He was less than two feet away, and Merlin reached out, hooking his arms under Arthur's shoulders, dragging him to shore. _Arthur... Please don't be dead._

Merlin deposited him on the small strip of pebbles lining the lake, and started to press on Arthur's chest rythmically, trying to force the water out of his lungs. He took a deep breath and blew it into his husband's mouth, plugging his nose, then resumed the compressions.

"Listen you prat. I did not wait all this time for you to come back, just to watch you die again." Merlin growled, pressing harder.

Suddenly, Arthur started to spew out the water, coughing violently, as Merlin sat him upright. "Merlin!" He spluttered, still trying to clear his lungs. Arthur looked different than when he had died. His wrinkles had been smoothed out, and the silver streaks in his golden hair were no longer there. It seemed as if dying had returned Arthur to the age he had been when they had married, shaving twenty-five years off. He looked just as radiantly handsome as he had on that glorious day.

"Arthur..." Merlin couldn't contain himself. He desperately pressed his lips to Arthur's, his taste setting his heart ablaze. By the Goddess, it was as if he could _breathe_ again, Arthur's smell filled his nostrils, and as he pulled away, resting his forehead on Arthur's, he thought that it was the most wonderful cologne money could buy.

"I missed you too, love." Arthur chuckled, his hands twining into Merlin's hair. "Obviously I have been gone for a while..." He gave a small tentative smile, seemingly afraid that Merlin was angry. As if he could ever be mad at Arthur. We'll he could, but not for something that had been in the hands of the Triple Goddess. He'd had no say in when he would return.

Merlin smiled back, kissing him again. "You've been gone 1558 years, three months six days, and four hours. It was hell." Merlin said, as he nestled his head into the curve of his neck.

"I'm so sorry." Arthur murmured, arms winding about his waist, holding Merlin's warm body closer as he shivered. It was a chilly evening, as the last bits of summer drew to a close. "So, this is modern day Albion?" He asked, mildly intrigued. It didn't look too much different.

"I'm all that's left of Albion, Arthur. I guess my greatest need was wanting to die. I didn't know if you were ever coming back, and..." Merlin started to shiver as well, but not from the cold. He was horrified by the fact that he'd almost asked for death, not knowing that he was just a prayer away. "I'm sorry."

"We'll, then it's a good thing I'd returned, isn't it? Can't have my idiot husband killing himself, now can I?" Arthur chuckled, and then subtly hinted that it was getting rather cold, and they were both sopping wet.

Merlin led him into the small cottage, and Arthur took in the simply furnished home, noting the new machines that inhabited the kitchen. There was a mid-sized desk in a corner covered in charcoal sketches of what turned out to be him, along with a large sheet of blueprints for a building.

"Come on, I'll get you some dry clothes, love." Merlin said, halting Arthur's exploration of the small house. It was rather cozy in there, charming, almost. Merlin called to him from the bedroom, and Arthur quickly entered. Only to see Merlin peeling off his soggy shirt and pants.

Arthur admired Merlin's graceful, lean frame, as he dug through his drawers for something that would fit. Mmmm Gods above how he loved Merlin's body, no longer the skinny scrawny man he'd been interested in, now Merlin had appreciable muscles from the training, and his learning skills with the throwing knives.

Merlin turned around, as Arthur finished undressing, only to gasp, as he saw his husband's glorious body.

Goddess help him.

He had his absolutely fucking _gorgeous_ husband here naked, wet, and _hard._

"Merlin..." Arthur half moaned, as his husband's own manhood responded to Arthur's presence. Merlin took a step forward placing his hands on Arthur's shoulders, quite literally climbing him like a tree, and telling him to stop talking and that the lubricant was in his nightstand. And also condoms, because he really didn't want to get pregnant the day Arthur returned.

* * *

"Erm... Merlin..." Arthur groaned, as he pulled out of his husband.

"I know the condom broke." Merlin replied, cleaning them off with magic, and helping him with the torn protection. Merlin silently swore - he had bought them a year ago, in a fit of longing, for when Arthur returned. Apparently they were no longer useable.

Well, at least he had _tried_ to not get pregnant the instant his husband came back from the dead. That's good, right?

"Goddess..." Merlin groaned, stretching. He was pleasantly sore in the places only Arthur could reach. Merlin felt his magic bubbling under his skin, and knew by its intensity, that he would be once again, pregnant. In just a few short months, there would be talk all over the news of the man who was carrying a child.

"Merlin, I..." Arthur gently took him in his arms, kissing his forehead. "It's barely midday. What do you want to do?"

"Let's get dressed, and I'll show you the nearby village. You need some clothes, and I'm in need of food." Merlin looked at him with a smile. "Looks like it's my turn to take you shopping..."


	4. Chapter 4

Merlin sighed tiredly as yet another customer came into the cafe. He idly rubbed his stomach, swollen due to him being eight months pregnant, and took down the young woman's order.

Arthur chose that moment to walk down the steps in the back, earning admiring glanced from the women in the shop. He kissed his husband's cheek, as he began to scrub the long counter. This had been the happiest eight months Merlin had experienced since Arthur's death all those centuries ago, and he wasn't about to let anything ruin it.

A group of the local mother's had been coming by the cafe, trying to convince him to take down the gay pride flag that Merlin proudly displayed in the main window of the shop, and now, as their leader, a fifty-something retired secretary, entered the shop again, Merlin had had enough.

"Martha, there is no reason why I can't have a simple flag in the window of my shop." Merlin handed the customer her drink, and walked around the counter to confront the homophobic woman. "I'm not harming anyone, in fact I have had a number of people give their support, and tell me how much they appreciate my courage. For the last time, I'm not taking it down."

"Mr Pendragon, I must implore you, think of the impressionable young children who walk down the street and see your blatant disregard for the Lord-"

"You know I am not a Christian, Martha. I don't believe in your God, a God who turns away his children for being what he made them." Merlin sighed, leaning against the bar to relieve the intense pressure on his feet. This pregnancy had been troublesome, and he'd been having odd pains, cramps of his womb that he'd never had with any of the others.

"Just because you practice witchcraft, and worship false idols, doesn't mean that you can't be saved." Martha Barnes stepped forward, hands raised imploringly. 

"Evidence of the Triple Goddess is right here. I am pregnant, Mrs Barnes, and Arthur, my husband, has been brought back to me by Her hand. If anything, your God is the false one." Merlin pushed off from the counter, and went back to his work, clearing tables and putting the finishing touches on the latest batch of coffee.

Arthur stepped to the front of the shop, showing the old woman out. Neither him nor Merlin were very concerned about the group of women who were in an uproar over the way they lived their lives, as it couldn't be anything worse than what they had already been through.

"Merlin, go rest, my love. I'm worried about you. I called Kara on your contraption, and she's going to run the cafe tomorrow. Please, we need to get you to a physician." Arthur lovingly wrapped his arms around his husband, burying his face in the curve of his neck.

Suddenly there was a warm wetness spreading from Merlin's trousers, and the warlock cried out, his hands cradling his stomach. "Arthur, the baby..." He panted, and would have been on the floor, had Arthur not scooped him up into his arms and carried him to the open table.

The two customers in the shop put down their coffee and timidly approached Arthur and Merlin, as they tried to keep calm. The young woman who had just gotten her latte from Merlin pulled out her phone and dialed 999. "Hello, umm... I'm in the cafe in Fulham right now, and the owner of the property is going into labor. His name is Merlin, he's been on the news and stuff.... Can you send an ambulance?"

"Merlin, love, breathe. It's going to be alright." Arthur's heart was beating wildly in his chest as he looked into his husband's panic-stricken eyes. "I love you, I know that the Goddess would never take away one of our children, please Merlin, stay calm."

Merlin took deep breaths through his nose, as another wracking pain shot through his abdomen. "Mother, please don't take our child," he whispered brokenly. Merlin wouldn't be able to bear the heartbreak of having his child harmed. A distant wail of an ambulance broke the quiet, the only other noises being the warlock's agonized pants, and his husband's gentle whispers of love.

Two young men in emergency personnel uniforms rolled in a stretcher as the now deafening siren stopped. They carefully lifted Arthur's husband onto the bed and wheeled him into the ambulance. Arthur sent a quick message to Kara and Gabriel, telling them what had happened a and locked up the cafe, before climbing into the vehicle to travel the twenty miles to the nearest hospital.

* * *

Arthur paced in the waiting area of the maternity ward, as he waited for any news about his husband and child. The entire time he kept praying to the Triple Goddess that they both would live, and his family would be whole. The doctors had taken Merlin for an emergency C-section, but Arthur doubted their ability to save his lover. He even more strongly worried about his child, and the fears of a premature infant.

He looked up as he heard footsteps echoing on tile, and saw Kara and Gabriel entering the room. Kara immediately pulled Arthur into her arms, murmuring reassurances as Gabriel tried to get information about Merlin from the nurse.

A doctor walked out of the double doors and into the waiting room, hiding a clipboard. He looked around the room, saying "Arthur Pendragon?"

Arthur's knees nearly gave out as he tried not to faint. Some Once and Future King he was, can't even keep it together long enough to find out if his Consort was alive. "I'm Arthur Pendragon." He said, his voice cracking towards the end. "Please, my husband.... Our child..."

"They're fine, they're both doing wonderfully. However, Mr Pendragon, I... I regret to tell you that we had to remove the womb tissue, to stop the bleeding. I'm afraid your husband won't be able to have any more children. I'm sorry." The doctor placed his hand on Arthur's shoulder, trying to convey his sympathy.

"We've had so many children, doctor, that I can live with this being our last. May I see them?" Arthur looked to Kara and Gabriel, as they stood nearby, giving him reassuring smiles.

"Right this way."

* * *

Merlin felt foggy, and knew something was wrong. His baby, where was his son? He tried to open his eyes, fighting the fatigue, and turned his head away from the light. Once his eyes had adjusted, he saw a scene that would have made him cry with joy, had he not been crippled with fear for his child's safety.

Artur was holding a small bundle of blankets as he sat in the hard plastic visitors chair, and gently rocked their baby in his arms. He had the most tender expression on his face, as a tiny hand stretched outside the radius of blankets. "Sshhh, little Gwaine. Fa is here. Don't wake up your Papa now, he needs to rest."

"A-Arthur? Is he - Is he alright?" Merlin croaked, his throat raw from the ventilator they had stuck in it. He was acutely aware of the sensation of his stomach moving as he tried to sit up.

"Merlin, you idiot, you need to rest..." Arthur murmured, placing little Gwaine in his crib, and placing the crib next to Merlin's hospital bed. "Our son is perfectly healthy, and you will make a speedy recovery, my love." The former king kissed his husband's forehead, and sat on the edge of the bed. "However, I'm afraid that this is our last miracle, Merlin. The doctors couldn't stop the bleeding and they had to remove your womb. I'm so sorry, my darling."

Merlin nodded, leaning his head against his lover's thigh and sighing. "I'm just glad little Gwaine is going to be alright. That's all I want. I want our son to grow up happy and loved, and I want us to grow old together. I don't want to see you age without me again. It was bad enough the first time. Please, Goddess, let me grow old and gray with my king, that is the last gift I ask of you."

* * *

Merlin puttered into the kitchen, running his hands through his iron gray waves, and put on the kettle for his and Arthur's morning coffee. He prepared the breakfast, his wrinkled hands whisking the eggs with all the dexterity of a man only twenty. 

Arthur emerged from the bedroom just as Merlin was about to go to wake him up, and he scrubbed his face with his hands, the soft creases around his eyes and mouth - laugh lines and crows feet - spoke of the happiness they shared in their lives. He sat in his worn oak chair, settling his weary bones down to breakfast.

Merlin sat across from him, smiling as Arthur grumbled over the political mistakes the current Prime Minister was making, and the general foolishness of every politician in _his_ United Kingdom. He was glad his Arthur was still there, but he knew that the magic sustaining the both of them would not last forever.

But the love they had for each other was strong enough to outlast empires.


End file.
